This Is War
by Draco Malfoy is Blonde
Summary: Durmstrang is attacked and among the new students relocating to Hogwarts is a young Snape. As well as this the war is not going well, with hope lost and the light fading, it is time for the people of the wizarding world to realize that this is war... Re-Written on 29th January 2015...
1. This is Hogwarts

_A/N. Disclaimer; recognizable features, including characters, situations, places and concepts belong to J.K. Rowling, this applies to the whole story._

_Warnings: OC, Harry born a girl, violence, character death._

_So here it is, the official re-write of this is war. I will begin with the first three chapters and keep them coming every week there after. I'm incredibly pleased with how it has turned out in the end._

**I. THIS IS HOGWARTS**

A tall greasy haired man was standing in front of a black haired girl. She had a sharp face, deep sunken black eyes and was wearing long black robes over a thin frame, in fact they both were. Both with protruding hooked noses and slim bony fingers clinging to skull masks.

"If he tells you-" The man began, but the young girl interrupted him, a terrified look on her face.

"I don't want to do as he says," She tells him, "I don't want to hurt you dad and I don't want to die."

"You _have_ to do as he says, Echo," He told her, grabbing her free hand with his. "Otherwise we both die."

"I'm not like Him," She said, glaring at the man.

"It will be harder to avoid the Dark Lord while you're at Hogwarts, before the distance and security gave you a good excuse." He said, seemingly ignoring her last statement.

"If you're gone I have no where to go, I would rather be dead."

"Echo," The man said, exasperated, "You're my daughter, and I need to protect you. We're on the brink of a war and I have to keep you alive." He gently touched her cheek. "I know you don't like hearing it but you're far more important than I am, no." He looked at her until she stopped trying to interrupt "I'm your father and what I say, goes, understood?"

She nodded. He slid his terrifying mask into place.

"I don't want to lose you dad." She whispered and they shared a fleeting but tight embrace before she slipped on her matching mask and held his hand.

With a crack, the both disappeared.

* * *

><p>Harriet Potter, a short, almost unhealthily thin, black haired girl, Ron Weasley, a gangly ginger and Hermione Granger, a bright eyed bushy haired girl barely managed to get into the great hall in one piece.<p>

Why was it so difficult? Because of the Daily Prophet, or rather the news on the front page;

**_DURMSTRANG INSTITUTE FOR MAGICAL LEARNING ATTACKED BY DEATH EATERS_**

Hermione had nearly given them both the paper cut of the century thrusting the newspaper under their noses this morning, now, parents were flooding the Entrance Hall demanding to see Dumbledore. Some wanted to remove their children from school, some wanted to enrol their children (from Durmstrang) others wanted to have Dumbledore convince them their children were safe. The result was a crammed noisy mess of stupid parents and their children blocking Harriet from her breakfast.

"SILENCE!"

Dumbledore was standing at the top of the grand staircase, his wand to his throat, the wizard had a grave expression on his face.

"Hogwarts students!" He said loudly over the crowd which were quiet now that the Headmaster had arrived, "Classes will be cancelled for today, parents, and other students, if you're leaving or concerned for the safety of your child, you need to see your child's Head of House, new enrollments need to speak with me."

There was a cram of bodies as the crowd split up, Dumbledore moved further up the stairs and the Heads of House all made for the front door.

Harry, Hermione and Ron pushed on to the Great Hall for their breakfast.

"Day off, day off, day off" Ron kept chanting between "no potions, no potions, no potions." Hermione was looking around at all the noisy people, and scanning the 'Durmstrang Attack' article in the paper and Harry was just watching the bacon get closer. She was so hungry.

"Do you think we'll get any new students?" Hermione asked them. Harry did little more than shrug as her mouth was occupied and Ron shook his head.

"No," He said, "They never let people in half way through the year," He carefully picked out a hard-boiled egg and smacked it with his spoon. "Besides, even if they did, they'll all be in Slytherin. Dark wizards and everything." Hermione frowned at the Slytherin table, looking disappointed.

They went back to the common room and flopped onto their three favorite chairs by the fire, Harry and Ron were instantly dragged into a game of exploding snap with Seamus and Dean and Hermione decided to read ahead for the classes that surely would be on tomorrow. It was a lazy day, Harry and Ron successfully achieving nothing until they had to go down to dinner.

The holes in each house were not noticeable, not many Gryffindors had left, more of the younger students had been removed by scared parents than the older years. The thing that drew the attention of most were the fifty or so students dressed in heavy fur coats in the center of the hall.

"We've had a bit of an unconventional occurrence, this year." Dumbledore announced, standing before the crowd, "A large number of Durmstrang students are moving here to finish their education, so, we'll be having another sorting ceremony tonight! But first to welcome our new members, the school song!"

With no melody, sensible tempo or pitch the whole school roared;

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald,_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling,_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best,_

_we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

The final word was yelled and screamed and sung opera style for about five minutes as everyone finished their interpretation of the words, but with no Weasley Twins and their slow funeral ballad it was a quick affair. McGonagall brought the stool and sorting hat into the Great Hall, Professor Flitwick had been organising them in year groups, there were twelve first years, six second, four third, five fours, fourteen fifth, three sixth and thirteen seventh.

The sorting hat was sat on the stool and its mouth opened wide.

_New students are here_

_They'll find a place to be_

_And who better to sort them_

_Than the sorting hat, me!_

_Will you be in Ravenclaw?_

_If knowledge is what you need_

_Will you be in Gryffindor?_

_Where they value bravery_

_Could you be in Slytherin?_

_Are you ambitious and sly?_

_Or will you be in Huffelpuff?_

_On your friends you can rely_

_Welcome to Hogwarts, new and old_

_You've come at a time that's bound to get cold_

_Now remember unity is the key_

_And with it we won't have to flee!_

The Durmstrang, or former Durmstrang students looked rather frightened at this apparently mad school they were to join.

"Wasn't as good as usual." Ron said, though it was better than this Authors other sorting hat songs.

"He didn't have as much time." Seamus pointed out, gaining a snort from Harry and a 'gwaf-faw' from Dean.

McGonagall called names and the students were sorted. Surprisingly, there was a fairly even spread of people over the four houses, Harry was, like Ron expecting them all to be in Slytherin.

"Right, sixth years!" McGonagall called, and the single girl and two boys in their year stepped forward.

"Császár, Alexander!" Alexander was a short boy, he had a very strong build though, and had dark hair and eyes, he actually looked a lot like Victor Krum, but, not as ugly. He was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"Markovic, Sasha" a tall, muscular boy with dirty blonde hair stepped forward, he was very handsome, according to Lavender and Parvati. He sat on the stool and was sorted into Gryffindor. He then sat next to Harry. Who greeted him with a smile.

"Snape, Echo!"

Harry was reminded of his sorting, the great hall erupted in excited and shocked whispers, the Gryffindors were no different either, Harriet looked between the dour girl and their dour professor and her own friends.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"She's definitely a Snape, then." Ron decided as the girl left for the Slytherin table.

Harry's eyes had not left her potions professor's sour face, so she was the only one who saw the small, proud smile he had as his assumed relative walked to the Slytherin table.

The seventh years were sorted next, and Harry was more than happy to tune out the rest of the ceremony, she subtly studied their new housemate next to her, who was clapping after every one of the seventh years were sorted and giving McGonagall his rapt attention.

Lavender and Parvati were right, he reminded Harry of a slightly less pointy Draco Malfoy, but his hair was golden and not peroxide, he was hugely tall, and his shoulders were quite big.

Dumbledore then began the feast, with, as per usual his few, short words and Harry watched the new students faces light up in wonder as the food blossomed on the plates before them.

"Tat is wonderful!" Sasha said to her. "Sasha Markovic" The new student introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Harriet Potter." Harry said, "Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas," Harry introduced their group.

"You are Harriet Potter? Um, the famous one?" He asked her, and Harriet nodded.

"Yes, that's me." She said, looking back to her plate.

"I 'ave heard a lot about you, is the Hogwarts a good school?" Sasha asked, Hermione interrupted.

"Your English isn't very strong is it?" she asked.

"I am Russian," Sasha said. "We began learning a second language in second year at Durmstrang."

"Well articles are used in front of objects not names. You said 'the Hogwarts' but because you used the name of _the_ school you don't need the article," Hermione smiled.

"Sorry," Sasha said shortly, then turned back to Harry. "Is Hogwarts a good school?"

"Yeah," Harry said, "It's fantastic, easy to get lost though. You'll be in my classes, unless you have different electives. Most of the teachers are alright," She continued, thinking of Snape, and then deciding to keep quiet.

"Thank you, Harriet," Sasha paused. "Is there Dark Arts lesson here?"

Harry almost glared at him, "No, we teach _Defense_ Against the Dark Arts, why?"

"Oh, I vas never given the option to take it, this morning, during enrollment," Sasha said, "Why not?"

"The Dark Arts are bad," Harry said, "Why would you want to learn them?"

"You do not knov much about Dark Arts?" Sasha asked, "Hov is it you defense against tem?"

"Defend," Harry corrected.

"And hov can you fight tem? Dark Arts spells are much more dangerous tan defense."

"Dark Arts spells are dangerous and cruel, we don't need to use them, using unforgivables and Dark Arts would make us no better than Death Eaters."

Sasha looked truly astounded.

"You vill not use Dark Arts?" He asked.

"No," Harry said, she began to like Sasha less and less.

"Harry, tis is war, if you don't vant to hurt people, you will not survive."

Harry couldn't reply. The Death Eaters numbers doubled compared to the Order if you counted that Order members would be killed and Death Eaters wouldn't be. And they were already outnumbered.

"Whose side are you on?" Harry whispered to Sasha.

"Yours, Harry, but if you're going to lead tis war, you'll need to," He paused, thinking up the words, "change your style."

"I see," Harry answered shortly, but her cranky demeanour must have dissuaded Sasha from continuing his case. "So, tell us about Durmstrang, were there many people hurt in the attack?" Harry asked, curious as to why the school would be attacked when they were obviously on the death eaters side, what with muggleborns being excluded and dark arts being taught.

"Yes, tey came at night, lots were hurt, tey went for kids of parents who didn't join Him." Sasha paused, "My sister Anastasia was hurt badly, why my parents moved me to Hogwarts."

"That's terrible," Hermione said, "was anyone killed?"

"Many students were killed; a friend of my friend Echo, Isaac was killed."

"Echo Snape?" Ron asked, "Is she related to Snape?"

"Who is Snape?" Sasha asked him, Ron pointed to their potions professor.

"The greasy git on the end."

"Tat is Severus!" Sasha exclaimed, "Yes I know Severus, he is Echo's Papa, He is not a greasy git." The foreign student said with conviction and a frown at Ron, "Well, he is a bit, but he is a good man." He added.

"Her dad? Who's her mum?" Ron said

"Yes her dad, her Papa. She never told me who her Mama was," Sasha said, "She died when Echo was very young."

"Were any Muggleborns attacked?" Hermione asked.

"No," Sasha said, "But Durmstrang doesn't enrol Mud-ggleborns."

"Sasha!" A female voice snapped the attention of the Gryffindors to a girl approaching their table "How are you? Making friends I see?" She said, standing beside Sasha. Seeing her up close made the resemblance between her and Severus Snape remarkable.

"Echo," Sasha greeted, "this is Harriet Potter, Ron and Hermione."

She glanced over them.

"What are you doing here?" Seamus asked, "You're in Slytherin."

"I came to say hello to Sasha," Echo said, "Make sure he survived meeting all the new people."

"What think we were going to off him did you?" Ron said this time, Harry thought he looked very defensive.

"Well, no, I hope not," Echo replied. She looked mildly annoyed.

"Sit down, Echo, they are very curious about you," Sasha moved over, creating space between him and Harry, "And I am much better around people tan you, stop glaring."

Echo looked at Sasha with a surprising warm smile, but didn't sit down.

"Your dad really is Snape?" Lavender asked her, leaning forward over Dean.

"Yes, no more questions," Echo said, looking like she didn't care anymore that she wanted to speak to Sasha.

"Are you and Sasha dating?" Parvati asked her, Sasha spit his pumpkin juice out and began to choke, Harry looked up then, giggling at him.

"Net!" he very nearly shouted, "No, ve're not dating," He repeated. Echo thumped him on the back and he cleared his airway. "She is like sister to me," Sasha said, "Not like partner."

"We've grown up together," Echo explained.

"I can be not-platonic, though, yes?" Sasha said to her, she smiled at him.

"You will meet a nice, sexy not-platonic girl one day Sasha, don't worry." Sasha gave her a very goofy grin.

Parvati looked like she was going to put her hand up and jump up and down in her seat like Hermione in class, screaming "pick me," Harry rolled her eyes again.

Dumbledore then stood and asked everyone to follow their prefects to their dormitories and to make the new students feel welcome.

"I should go," Echo said, "Good luck tomorrow Sasha."

"Luck, I vill not need luck!" Sasha exclaimed, "For I am brilliant!" A small Huffelpuff girl was almost taken out by his exuberant hand gestures and he didn't even bother apologizing, just turning to Harry with a smile.

* * *

><p>Harry was told about Durmstrang; Sasha described it not as a castle, but a snow-covered fortress. It was made of huge dark stone bricks and lit by torches on the walls, it had a wide moat, with Kelpies swimming under the constantly frozen surface of the water and the Durmstrang ship frozen, stuck in the water. A wall three stories high surrounded the mote with a drawbridge and cast iron gate.<p>

And of course on the issue of Durmstrang, Harry and Sasha got into a debate about The Dark Arts. Harry actually found it rather interesting. There was a whole branch of magic the Order were neglecting to even study, and what made it worse; that was what they were fighting! Of course she didn't have the luxury of having an opinion on the matter, being the great Harriet Potter, the newspapers would have a ruddy field day if they caught her practicing Dark Magic.

But Sasha was right, the more Dark Art users the Order has, the more advantage they have. Harry, however was stubborn, and argued with Sasha nearly constantly about it, but that was something she was never able to do before, because on the issue of Dark Arts, all the Gryffindors agreed.

"Magic cannot be evil or good, Harry!" Sasha was saying to her, "You can't accuse Magic of being evil or good, it is _intent_ of caster."

"There is no good or evil," Harry whispered quietly, "There is only power," she paused, "And those too weak to seek it."

"Exactly!" Sasha cried, "Though intent of people seeking power makes them good or evil."

"Voldemort told me that," Harry said, she looked at Sasha, who had gone white.

"You have spoken to Him?"

"Yes," Harry said, glaring again, "He told me that when I was eleven." Sasha looked shocked.

"But he vas not alive then!"

"Sasha he was never dead, when I was one, he was... ripped from his body, and was too weak to keep fighting the war; presumed dead." Harry looked at his new friend, and then looked around the common room, "I'll tell you later. But I agree with you about the concept of power, I mean, the Cruciatus curse could never be used for good, it bloody hurts, but..."

"You could Vingargdium Leviosa someone off a cliff, and kill tem, or Avada Kedavra someone to euthanize tem?"

"Exactly, but does that mean I agree with Voldemort?" Harry asked. Sasha laughed.

"Do you plan to begin war with Muggles?"

"No," Harry said, "Right, ok. Is it hard to use the Dark Arts?"

"Yes, very," Sasha leaned back on the couch, "Dark Arts need amount of power, not just words. Like unforgivable, you need to mean it, and have the power to back it up."

"What if you don't have enough power?" Harry asked, she was fiddling with the aglet on her shoelace, ripping it apart with her nails (she knew she would regret that when she had to re-thread her shoes)

"Then you draw power from surroundings, but take lots of training. Very hard to do for people wit not enough power," Sasha looked at her, "You vould be very good at Dark Arts, Harry."

"You think?" Harry asked, actually considering it, then remembering the field day the press would have if they found out.

"Definitely, you are very powerful Harry," Sasha yawned, "vould you like me to teach you?"

"I'll consider it." She said, "I have to be careful about what I do and say though, the press-" She begun to explain, Sasha looked as though he understood where she was going but they were interrupted by a second year.

"Miss Potter? Um there's er two Slytherins waiting outside for you."

"What? Who?" Harry lifted herself from the lounge looking back at the portrait hole.

"Er, I dunno." The second year nervously inched away.

"I'll be back Sasha." Harriet said with a frown, walking towards the entrance to the common room with a distrustful stare.

Echo Snape and Draco Malfoy were waiting by the ledge near the stairs, Echo was standing while Malfoy was leaning against the railing.

Harry frowned at the pair. "Can I help you?" She asked, utterly disliking the fact Malfoy knew where their common room was. Malfoy sneered at her, while Echo seemed to remain stoic.

"I'd like to see Sasha." Echo said, "If you wouldn't mind?" She added, Harried nodded.

"Why didn't you ask for him, then?" Harry asked her, but it was Malfoy who answered.

"Potter, really, what second year Gryffindor runt would know the name and face of a brand new student. It was easier to just ask for you." He said, still leaning on the railing.

"Thanks, Malfoy," She said sarcastically, "But I didn't ask you did I? Try getting some bloody manners!"

Malfoy looked highly affronted, but she didn't give him time to reply as she ducked back in the common room and approached Sasha.

"Its Echo, Sasha she wants to see you." Harriet told the other boy, who stood with a smile and thanked her on the way out. Harry went over to Ron and Hermione as Sasha left.

"What do you think of Sasha?" Harry sat down tying her hair up quickly.

"He seems ok, you're kind of ignoring us though." Hermione said, "I suppose if you want him to ask you out you should pay more attention to him, besides I'm really happy where I'm up to with my homework."

"Me and Sasha?" Harriet waved her hand dismissively, "No, no, he's nice, and handsome I guess, but a platonic friend," Harry could feel herself blushing and gave up when Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, I might like him, a little, but he's more interesting than anything else."

"Vho?"

Harriet had never blushed more in her life. Hermione just giggled.


	2. This is Winter

**II. THIS IS WINTER**

Classes began the next day, a cold raining Wednesday. Durmstrang had been attacked a few weeks before the Christmas holidays, right at the start of winter. Many of the Durmstrang students were walking around in the 'comfortably cool' air without even their robes on, just the uniform. It was making Harry feel cold.

Sasha was one of the cold resistant students.

"Aren't you cold?" Harry asked for the fiftieth time that day. "Its like minus 1000 degrees!"

"I am not cold," Sasha said, "I'm used to much colder winter. Durmstrang is in arctic circle, on island hidden from muggles near Russia."

"So, you're still human, you can still get cold!"

"In winter temperature usually -40 degrees Celsius."

Harry just shivered at the thought.

"Have you thought about lessons on Dark Arts any more, Harry?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah, I want to, but if the press found out I'd be labelled as the next Dark Lord and shunned," Harry sighed, "Again, so sorry Sasha, but no." Sasha looked disappointed but didn't push.

They were heading to breakfast, and as Harry went into the hall she looked for Ron and Hermione, feeling a little guilty that she had ignored them the past few days.

"Hey guys," Harry said, sliding into the spot across from Ron and Hermione, Sasha sitting next to him.

"Privet!" Echo yelled when she entered the Entrance Hall, Sasha turned and waved to her.

"Hello," Sasha said back, "What do you have now?"

"Potions," Echo smiled at him, his shoulders slumped. Harry looked away awkwardly while they spoke.

"Me too."

"Sasha doesn't like potions," Echo told Harry, "even after meeting dad."

"Her dad likes Potions too much," Sasha said to Harry seriously. "We may need intervention." Harry laughed at that.

"I guessed; I never understood where all the dirty cauldrons came from for my detentions, I figured he brewed them for fun."

Echo sat with Sasha for breakfast, they happily talked about each common room and dormitory, Many of the Gryffindors feeling quite cheated when learning the Slytherins had no more than two to a room.

After they had finished eating they walked to class and were sitting down as the bell went; Snape was already out the front, closely inspecting the students.

He spun on his heel and tapped the board, instructions wrote themselves up and he went over and unlocked the store cupboard.

"You have the whole lesson to finish this potion, if it's not finished, you get a zero," He sat down and began marking papers.

Snape was silent for the first part of the lesson, but the second part had him walking around and peering into each person's cauldron.

Harry was very worried when he began assessing their work.

Snape was getting closer and closer to Harry's table.

Her potion was goopy and bubbling, it was supposed to be smooth and still. It was the right colour at least. At the same stage, Sasha's potion was a violent green in colour, emitting thick highly pungent purple gas and was sloshing about, his facial expressions were making her giggle.

Snape swooped down upon them and made a very disgruntled sound. Echo appeared at his shoulder, took a quick look at Sasha's potion and started giggling. Sasha muttered something under his breath.

"Get back to your seat," Snape snapped at Echo, it didn't seem to phase her, she just returned to her seat, still giggling.

"I should just vanish it, shouldn't I?" Sasha asked and Harry witnessed a very disturbing thing.

Conflicted Snape...

Snape sternly glared down at the Gryffindor, Sasha didn't look frightened at all, and it was obvious Snape was at a total loss of what to do.

His sneer came back full force and Sasha actually did look frightened.

"Stupid boy," Snape said, promptly vanishing the contents of the cauldron, "ten points from Gryffindor, and your final grade is zero."

Snape turned on his heel and batted away.

"Tat was odd," Sasha said quietly to Harry, "He usually isn't so..."

"Snarky?" Ron put in, Sasha nodded.

"No that's pretty much how he usually is," Ron said, "to Gryffindors at least. Snarky old dungeon bat."

"He is very different when teaching me in holidays," Sasha said, "He would never punish for incorrect potion, just help to fix it."

"Definitely not Snape," Harry said, "He just like torturing us poor lowly Gryffindors."

"I think he has image to keep up, he's not a bad man." Sasha piled his ingredients into his cauldron and shrunk the lot. Echo came over.

"I'll have a word to him, Sasha, sorry," She glanced back at Snape.

"Harriet," Echo said, as if she just remembered something.

"Yes?" Harry looked at her, a little wary.

"Draco wants to talk to you."

"Why?" Harry asked, her eyebrows rocketing to the moon, but Echo had already swooped away.

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy didn't approach her all day, or the day after that, or the day after that, until, finally, Harry lost it and went Draco-Hunting.<p>

She found Malfoy in the library, doing a potions assignment that Harry forgot she had.

"Malfoy?" Harry slid into the seat across from the blonde boy, who glared at her.

"What do you want Potter?" Malfoy snapped, "It's late and I would like to have this finished before the weekend."

"Echo said you wanted to talk to me?" Harry asked him.

"No," Malfoy said, "I didn't."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why would she tell me you did?" Harry asked him.

"Leave me alone, Potter."

Harry stood, knocking over his inkwell and left. She was two corridors away from the library when Malfoy knocked her over.

"Malfoy!" Harry grunted, pulling her wand out.

"Sorry, I did want to talk to you," Malfoy said, "Um," he paused.

"If you're asking me out, Malfoy, my answer is no."

"Don't be stupid Potter, as pretty as you are I have much higher standards." Malfoy flicked his hair back and continued, "Um, so Sasha,-"

"I don't think he would date you either, honestly," Harry said, cracking a smile.

Malfoy actually laughed too. "No, he's asked you about learning Dark arts, hasn't he?"

"Yes," Harry said, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"I asked Echo to teach me, and Sasha wants you to learn." Malfoy looked at the ceiling from his place still on the floor.

"Will you have Dark Arts lessons with me?"

"No," Harry said after a slight hesitation.

"Please?" Malfoy just bout leapt at her, "please, please, pleeeeeeeease?"

Harry leaned away from the insane Slytherin

"It's the only way Echo will teach me!" He grabbed the front of her robes.

Then the couple froze as a sinister meow broke their bubble of floor conversation.

"Shit its after curfew!" Draco hissed looking fixedly at the cat.

"Here," Harry helped Malfoy up and the both took off down the corridor as fast as they could.

"There's no where to hide down here!" Draco whispered in a panic.

Harry pulled the silvery cloak from her pocket and wrapped them both in it.

"What are you five? I think he'll notice a cloak with a student shaped lump under-"

Harry clapped her hand over Draco's mouth and they watched Filch hobble around the corner.

Malfoy froze, his hand over Harry's which was over his slightly parted lips both their hearts pounding cuddled under a cloak, and now Harriet remembered that Malfoy had called her pretty.

She leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "You think I'm pretty?"

Malfoy looked shocked, "Shhhhhhhhhhhhh" he replied, eyes still fixed on Filch, who was following his cat around the end corner of the corridor.

"How did he not see us?" Malfoy whispered.

"Invisibility cloak, It was my dads's," Harry whispered back.

Malfoy gave a low whistle. "Not bad," He ran the silky material through his long slender fingers. "So Dark Arts with me, Potter?"

Harry groaned. "I want to, but I have a reputation to desperately cling on to, besides I know someone has a nasty habit of going to Rita Skeeter," Harry glared at Malfoy.

"You can trust me, Potter, besides that was two years ago." Malfoy had a predatory gleam in his eyes, "And, I want to learn more than I want to make the public hate you... again."

"Prat," Harry sighed, she really wanted to learn, if just for better enabling her to defend the whole bloody world against them. "Fine, I'll do it." She said, finally. "I can't believe I've agreed to this."

"Fabulous," Malfoy said. Then, quite unexpextedly, he leaned down and breathed in her ear, "And yes, I think you're very pretty."

Draco then ducked out of the cloak and walked toward his common room with an over-confident strut. Harriet couldn't move for another minute.

Back in the dorms, Hermione scolded her for being late.

"What's wrong? You didn't get caught did you?" Hermione studied her face for a while. Parvati cut in,

"I would be upset if you had lectured me like that too Hermione."

"I… Malfoy was just acting weird," Harry said, the other girls came and sat on her bed.

"What happened?" Lavender asked.

Harry told them what happened under the invisibility cloak, editing all the talk of Dark Arts out of the conversation by replacing it with potions.

"That sounds really fishy Harry, are you sure he actually wants to help you?"

"Who cares Hermione," Parvati said, "Malfoy is so, so handsome."

Harry blushed. "I'm going to sleep, get off my bed." Harry squirmed under the covers as the other girls went back to their own beds.

Despite saying she would sleep, sleep didn't come easy, she couldn't decide if she was anxious or excited about her new lessons. There was the whole side of the Dark Arts being not only looked down upon by everyone she knew but also being highly illegal, then the thought of spending that much time with Draco Malfoy pompous little ferret he was, and the fact that Malfoy thought she was pretty, and the scariest part being she liked the fact he though that she was pretty. Harry didn't get to sleep until the wee hours, as it were, and even then, her dreams were unsettling.

* * *

><p>Sunday was spent doing homework for Harry, she was forced into the library by Hermione and not allowed to leave until it was all up to date, she had an essay for every subject but DADA because Dumbledore was teaching that for now and assured them their new teacher would give them plenty of homework.<p>

Sasha wasn't impressed by their DADA classes, they weren't learning to fight at all, they weren't learning to recognize spells or fight them, and he was astounded the only shield the class knew of was 'Portego'. He spent the whole lesson telling Harry about all the better things he knew because of Dark Arts. They had lunch in the Hall around one with the majority of Hogwarts, (all weekend food was served in the hall) and Sasha had an owl give him a letter. He ripped the paper open and pulled the parchment out. Grinning like an overexcited maniac the more he read.

"Good news, then?" Harry asked him, he nodded and gave Harry the letter to read.

It was in Russian.

"Uh, translation?" Harry asked, "I can't speak Russian."

"Oh sorry, its from my sister, Anastasia, she is better nov and is going to teach at Hogvarts!"

"Wow, really? How old is she?" Harry asked, still looking at the Russian letter, it looked so cool.

"17, but she was top of class and learning to be professor this year, your school couldn't find another." Sasha looked over his shoulder.

"When's she coming?" Harry asked following Sasha's eyes to the Slytherin table.

"Next week, I'm going to tell Echo, bye Harry," Sasha was nearly skipping across the great hall. Harry watched him speaking to Echo, she wasn't jealous, at all, they had already expressed how not-dating their relationship was, she was a little jealous of how close they were, especially when she could catch snippets of their conversation in Russian.

She completely forgot about the two when Draco Malfoy caught her eye and smirked, she glared back, not because it was a malicious smirk but because it was an incredibly sexy smirk. She hoped Malfoy hadn't seen her blush.

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, and on Monday, in their DADA lesson they all met Anastasia Markovic for the first time (except the Durmstrang students).

I think it was because she was so young that everyone continued to talk when she came in the room, but when she cast a silencing spell on them all they didn't have a choice but to listen.

"I'm Professor Markovic," She said, her accent wasn't nearly as prononuced as her younger brother's and she was a good deal less broad but just as tall, her hair was long and the same light golden blonde shade as Sasha's, her eyes a slightly darker shade of blue. "and firstly I need to know what you know about fighting, about the Dark Arts, and about dark creatures, so, pop quiz!"

The whole class groaned and Hermione went into a slight panic.

Harry was bashing her head on the desk by the time the period finished. The 'quiz' was more of a 'test' and it went for the whole period; it had three sections, one on recognizing spells, one on defence methods and one on Dark Arts.

Harry was very certain she failed miserably. Sasha was, of course grinning like a psycho after their test, claiming to have aced it, the brief conversation he had with Echo and the Durmstrang-Ravenclaw in their year sounded like they had aced it too.

That week was a quiet affair, until Friday night, when Echo again requested his presence – with Sasha outside the Gryffindor common room.

Malfoy was there, of course, smirking as usual, Echo looked fairly neutral, Harry then noticed her resemblance to Snape, her hair was insanely long and dead straight down to her waist, black and oily, her face was sunken her skin pale her eyes dark and her nose hooked. All in all, she wasn't bad, but she wasn't a beautiful girl.

"Did you want to organise a time for the lessons?" Echo said, quietly but so they could all hear.

"Er…" Harry paused, thinking, she was named quiddich captain this year and hadn't scheduled a time for practices, or tryouts.

"Well Malfoy do you know when your teams' practices are?"

"Not yet," Malfoy said, "They're usually Tuesday and Thursday."

"Ours are normally Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morning when there's no game." Harry said, "what about Sunday afternoon?"

"I sometimes have something to do Sunday," Echo said, "Monday night?"

"Monday is fine," Malfoy said, Harry nodded, Sasha was barely paying attention.

"Anastasia said she'll help too, and supervise, and we can use her room." Echo then left, not even waiting for Malfoy.

"Potter, I know you're a prat, and a bighead, and an arrogant little bitch, but…"

"You are too," Harry said deadpan.

"Exactly."

Harry nearly fainted.

"Remember when we were in first year? And I asked you to be my girlfriend?" Harry watched the blush creep up Malfoy's cheeks, his eyes roaming around the hallway, "I was serious that day, I know I was a … jerk. But I wanted to be your boyfriend." He said, Harry smirked right back at him, Malfoy had approached her on the train with his cronies in tow and insulted Ron and his family then asked Harriet to be his girlfriend, it would have been cute, if he wasn't suck a prick.

Harry stayed silent.

"Could you give me a second chance? But just as friends, I mean." Malfoy suddenly said, making eye contact, his cheeks as red as the Weasley's hair.

"No, you're a prat, and your father has tried to kill me, twice!" Harry said, shocked.

"But I haven't tried to kill you!" Malfoy grabbed her arm when she went to turn around.

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"Because you're not sorry!" Harry screamed at him and left.

"Bugger. I didn't want to have to apologise." Draco said to Sasha.

"She will be your friend, if you be nice to her, she is good person," Sasha looked quizzically at Draco. "Why the change of heart?"

Draco looked around nervously. "Echo told me too," His blush deepened, "And I kind of like her."

Sasha frowned at the blonde boy. "Since first year?" Draco nodded. "So just apologise, be friends, Harriet will give you another chance."

"Its not that simple," Draco said. Sasha clapped him on the shoulder in sympathy.

* * *

><p>It was the Christmas holidays before anyone knew it, Ron, Harry and Sasha were staying along with two second year Gryffindors. Harry knew Echo and Malfoy were staying because they had scheduled some extra Dark Arts lessons during the Holidays.<p>

The lessons were interesting, but scared Harry a little, She recognised a lot of the curses from battle, particularly the one in the department of mysteries. Combined with their regular DADA lessons, which wholly encompassed defensive magic rather than just jinxes and hexes, Harry was beginning to feel less helpless in this war.

Professor Markovic, while young, could hold the classes attention, not just because of her 'bubble of charisma' as Sasha called it, but because she would hex students when they didn't pay attention, usually nothing too sinister, but sinister enough that they would need immediate attention.

Echo's lessons were completely different. She was a terrible teacher, much like Snape, she wouldn't bother unless she thought you were doing your very best. Sasha told him that both her and Snape were Savants in a way, while each _could_ function as a person socially, Echo never made a mistake with Dark Magic and Snape never made a mistake in Potions, it was difficult for them to comprehend others stupidity.

Regardless of spending insane amounts of time with the two Slytherins, Harry still knew very little of Draco Malfoy and Echo Snape. She only knew what Sasha had told her.

On the subject of Sasha, Harry didn't know how to approach the subject of having a non-platonic relationship with him, she was trying to flirt, and drop hints, she really was but he was as thick as Ron.

* * *

><p>Draco was very nervous. His father's owl had brought him a message at midnight, and his father was in Azkaban, his mother had her own owl, which could only mean one thing.<p>

He nervously opened the letter, dreading what he would read.

_Draco Dearest,_

_Your father's friend is visiting the family, he was most disappointed when you weren't home during the summer, He's interested in offering you a job he thought you would like._

_You are to meet with Professor Snape to come home next Thursday, he will still be visiting._

_Your father would be proud that you can establish a career so early, and while I don't want you to grow up, I think its for the best._

_Don't tell your friends, I've arranged it with the teachers as home visits are not customary during the holidays._

_Narcissa Malfoy._

It wasn't his mother's handwriting.

"Draco?" Draco looked up to see Echo standing in the door. "There's something wrong." It wasn't a question, it was a statement, and while Draco found Echo to be very like her father, she seemed to have a lot more compassion. "Would you like to talk about something?"

"I can't," Draco said, discreetly casting a drying charm on his eyes. Now he couldn't burst into tears even if he wanted to.

"Its about the Dark Lord?" Echo asked, Draco looked at her surprised, she shrugged

"I need to go with you on Thursday," Echo looked emotionless, as always.

"Oh," Draco was at a loss for words, he just stared blankly at the wall.


	3. This is The Dark Arts

**III. THIS IS THE DARK ARTS**

Harry loved Christmas, ever since she had started at Hogwarts. There was certainly a sad side to the holiday, the reminder that she had no family left that cared for her, but it was also a reminder that she did have a family, her friends were all the family she needed.

Harry didn't know why, but just the atmosphere, the jolly mood of everyone, she felt like hugging the house elves and singing through the corridor.

She had had another two Dark Arts lessons and had one more on Wednesday, apparently she had a bit of a nifty gift for Dark Arts, but Echo still told her she wasn't any good, just had an extraordinary amount of power.

Harry was watching Sasha and Ron play chess, Ron now quite liked Sasha, they had a lot in common, Sasha was also from a big family, he lived with his parents and sister, aunt and her three children and his grandparents and his uncle's orphaned twin sons. Harriet knew to impress him she would have to remember all their names, but she forgot them all anyway. It was Christmas day, and as there were an extraordinarily small amount of students here, the presents were all around the tree in the great hall. There were the five Gryffindors, one Ravenclaw and two Slytherins. They were all busy opening their presents, not paying attention to one another. Harry did notice both Draco and Echo, and even Sasha left some unwrapped.

They had a fantastic Christmas lunch, Harry even pulled a cracker with Malfoy and Echo, and giggled uncontrollably when Echo and Snape shared a cracker, both of them expressionless, even when Echo slipped on the hat she received when she won.

That afternoon Harry, Ron and Sasha were just relaxing in the common room, Ron was reading some magazine Dean had left behind, Sasha and Harry were talking quietly.

Bored off their current topic, Harry decided to ask about Echo, again.

"Have you decided to tell me anything else about Echo?"

"No," Sasha rolled his eyes, "Vhy are you so interested?"

"She seems interesting," Harry said, "That's all."

There was a slight pause.

"Do you like her?" Harry asked, Sasha nodded;

"Of course, ve have been friends long time."

"No I mean, do you like, _like_ her?"

"Vhat?" Sasha looked at her like she was a little mad.

"Do you like her like a girlfriend?" Harry finally asked.

"No, Echo is like sister to me, but I met Ravenclaw girl at table, Luna, she's very pretty, no?" Sasha said, Harry felt stupid, she had been very obviously flirting with him, and now he just likes another girl, granted, Luna was amazing, but Harry still felt stupid and wanted to mope, or disappointed more likely.

* * *

><p>"Where is Potter?" Sasha nervously told Echo that Harry wasn't coming to their lesson.<p>

"Stupid girl, why not?" Echo had been increasingly grumpy the past week, now it was Wednesday and she not only seemed Grumpy, but frightened.

"No lesson today," Sasha said, "You're not yourself. Valk vit me." Sasha extended his hand and she took it, Echo had always been extraordinarily short, very quiet, withdrawn and cute. Most didn't see it, but Sasha had seen her around her father. She liked to hold hands, or have a handful of robe, she hated being alone.

"Vhat is Vong?" Sasha asked her.

"Nothing, I'm just a little nervous, school starting again." Echo looked away, "Its cold, could we go back inside?"

"Sure, but I know you are not vorried about school, I know you too vell."

"I'm fine, really, I'm, um meeting Draco's family tonight."

"Oh," Sasha said, then said "_Ooh?"_

He wiggled his eyebrows. Echo smiled and they left for the castle.

Sasha could tell she was still uncomfortable.

"Little Draco," Draco tried not to tremble when he first saw the Dark Lord, he was a grotesque, mutilated man, and Draco couldn't remember being more afraid in his life.

"I was so disappointed you were never home this summer, I have a little job for you."

Draco was on his knees, and couldn't see the Dark Lord's expression. "I want you to kill Albus Dumbledore." Draco's head snapped up to look at the Dark Lord, Aunt Bellatrix was laughing, His mother gasped. "Will you do that for me? Little Draco?" Draco nodded, he was in to much shock to do much else. "Bellatrix," The Dark Lord was given something from his aunt, and he motioned for Draco to stand. "You know, you can't be a Death Eater without The Mark, Draco." Voldemort took his left arm, and through the sleeve stabbed Bellatrix's knife into his arm. Apart from the shock and sting and _fucking pain _of the stab wound, which he was fairly certain went straight through his arm, his forearm caught on fire, his skin was ripping and blistering and just _burning._ Draco yelled aloud, trying to rip his arm from Voldemort's grip. "Tell me boy, can you apparate?" Voldemort hissed in his ear, he shook his head, no. "Useless!" he pushed Draco to the floor. "You can't be summoned until you can apparate, boy, so I suggest you learn!" Draco crawled to his mother, his arm was bleeding, and she wordlessly gave him a cloth to tie around it for now.

"Now, Severus, you've always been one of my favourites," Voldemort was almost purring when Snape stepped forward.

"Yes, My Lord," Snape bowed his head low.

"Where is your daughter?" Draco watched Echo step forward, she curtsied, very low to the ground.

"My Lord." she greeted him calmly.

"Come here, let me see your Mark." Echo swept up her left sleeve, revealing a Dark Mark, burned into her arm like Draco's. It was just black though, no welts, no scabs, no burns.

"It's healed nicely, shall I see if it works?"

"If you wish, my Lord." Voldemort pressed his wand to the mark, there was a hiss from all the Death Eaters as their marks burned.

"Wonderful, now, Echo, your initiation." Voldemort clapped his hands, and Bellatrix darted forwards and grabbed Snape.

"I know how fond you are of your father, so when I say make him suffer, what happens?"

Without hesitation Echo pulled her wand on Snape and said '_Crucio' _Draco watched Snape scream and writhe on the floor until Voldemort finally waved his hand to stop her. She stopped immediately.

"Very well done little girl, I have a job for you as well."

Echo kneeled again, ignoring her father who was struggling to stand. "Anything you ask my lord."

"You need to help Little Draco, can you do that, to kill Albus Dumbeldore?"

Draco looked at Echo, who kept her eyes downcast as she nodded. "Yes, My Lord."

"Leave, now, I'm done with you all." Voldemort watched them all leave, Draco went with his mother, and then ran off to the study.

The study was almost next to the drawing room, there was a small room in between, which conveniently has a peep hole.

Draco opened the little gap and watched the scene inside.

Snape was there, and Voldemort.

Snape was breathing heavily, still suffering from the torture curse his daughter had held him under.

"You will watch them, help them. Make sure Dumbledore doesn't grow suspicious?"

"Of course my Lord, I wish nothing more than for that man to be dead."

"Very good Severus, and you of course know I intend for the Malfoy boy to fail, to punish his stupid father who couldn't retrieve the prophecy?"

"Of course, My lord."

"Good, good, and what of your daughter? How should she be punished if Albus doesn't die in the end?"

"I will kill him for you, My Lord," Snape assured the other man.

Voldemort shook his head. "She will be given as a pet to the warewolves, their work is extrodinary, for filthy mongrels, and you know how much they enjoy children?"

Severus nodded, and the Dark Lord dismissed him, but Draco could very clearly see the tears in his eyes as he left.

* * *

><p>Harry was blushing again. Echo hadn't shown up for their Dark Arts lesson, so Malfoy had offered to help her with potions. And since she wasn't cursing, hexing or trying to rip Malfoys hair out, she noticed just how much of a shameless flirt he is. Though he was acting differently than normal, while yes this year Malfoy had been completely out of character since the beginning, now he was out of character out of character. He seemed twitchy, and paled and flinched whenever Harriet moved too quickly. The lesson was going well until she couldn't hold her tongue any longer, she was actually, genuinely concerened.<p>

"Malfoy, why won't you just tell me whats wrong? Maybe I can help-"

Malfoy held his hand up to shut her up.

"For Merlin's sake Potter, just drop it!" Malfoy huffed. "I just don't know. Everything's fine, its in your head."

"It really isn't, Malfoy, I'm sick of being told I'm crazy because people would rather not face the truth, you told me you wanted to be friends well then you have to let me help you."

Malfoy glared at her, and she leaned away from him, glaring back.

"I'm fine," He said, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve, "You're fine, everything is just fine and dandy Potter, Merlin would you just drop it? Not everyone needs you to swoop in and save them, maybe you can't help me okay? Have you ever thought of that. Maybe you make shit worse?"

Harry frowned at him, she knew that all too well, she'd learned that lesson last year and the price was the life of her godfather.

"What do you mean I've made it worse?"

"Nothing, its nothing, just I have to go!" He said, standing, she reached out and grabbed his arm, which he yanked from her grip with another glare in her direction, like her touch had burned him.

"Don't touch me Potter, I'm fine," Malfoy hissed, she stood again and made to stop him, but he shoved her, "Get away from me, filthy half-blood."

And Malfoy stormed off before Harry could slap him.

* * *

><p>"Filthy half-blood?" Harriet was pacing in the common room, Sasha was lounging on the lounge, as you do, indifferent, and Ron looked delighted at the excuse to insult Malfoy.<p>

"How dare he? How bloody dare he? I asked him a simple question, and he blows up over it!" Harry continued in much the same way for at least fifteen minuets, Ron adding some colourful insults such as 'twatty albino ferret' and 'buggering little prat'.

"Vat did you ask him, tat has upset him?" Sasha finally asked.

"There's something very wrong, something's going on with him." Harry huffed and flopped into an armchair. "I just wanted to help and he shoves me and storms off, I mean, who even does that?" she muttered.

"Trully horrendous" Sasha said, "Vat if you just upset him?" Sasha looked at her like she was a child. "He has no reason to trust you vit something like tat, does he?"

Harry hated being in the wrong, "I guess you're right."

"I am alvays right!"

"Tell that to your pronunciation." Harry said dryly.

Sasha laughed and said something in Russian, she was certain it was an insult. Ron disagreed with the whole thing, "Don't bother with ferret boy." But Sasha turned the conversation in a different direction.

"I think Echo might be involved she is not herself." He said, Harry gave Sasha her attention and even Ron quieted down.

"Do you think they're up to something?" Harry asked a sick feeling in her stomach, Ron said aloud what she hadn't wanted to voice.

"Death Eaters?"

Sasha shook his head, "She would not join tem, she would never join tem."

"Malfoy might," Harry said sadly, "His father-"

"Vat?" Sasha said, utter panic in his eyes. Harry looked between Sasha and Ron.

"Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father is a Death Eater, I've seen him before at the meetings, when Voldemort was resurrected, the Department of Mysteries last year, but he's in prison now."

"Echo told me the other night that she was going to meet the Malfoy family, I thought her and Draco were more than friends but-"

"They were likely going to a Death Eater meeting?" Ron added, Sasha nodded.

"I don't want to believe that's true." Harriet said with conviction, Ron was not shocked or bothered by it but Sasha agreed with her.

"But are we going to assume they're Death Eaters?" Ron asked, "I guess not, why would You-Know-Who want kids as followers, we're not allowed in the Order yet."

Harry shrugged, "Maybe we are overreacting, look, maybe they really were together and something happened or something?"

"I 'ope so," Sasha said, though he looked thoroughly unconvinced.

"Should we ask Hermione?" Ron suggested, Sasha shook his head, "Keep it between just us," He insisted. "We 'ave no 'ard evidence."

The others agreed, and though it was still a weight on their minds they let it drop for now.

Harry felt the need to apologize to Malfoy; because she was wrong to pry like that. She grew restless just sitting in the common room doing nothing so she excused herself from the boys and went to try to find him, but he was no where to be found, she couldn't even find him on the Marauder's Map. She waited until dinner and stared intently at Malfoy the whole time, and after dinner chased him down.

"Malfoy!" Harry huffed as she ran up the corridor after him, no idea where she was, somewhere in the dungeons, "Malfoy!" And there was nothing for it; she _had_ to crash tackle him.

"Ommph Potter? You crazy bint what the bloody hell are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," Harry said meekly.

"You can't just go tackling people to the ground, its rude and un-lady like and bloody uncomfortable and so muggle of you, you could've killed me- what?"

"I'm sorry for trying to get information out of you when you didn't want to talk."

"Oh, kay, thanks," Malfoy looked at her, a frown marring his handsome features.

"It's just you've been so nice and its easy to get along with you and I feel like you're a close friend already but I know you're a prat and your dad's tried to kill me and I'm kind of the reason he's in prison, but your nice now, and I don't understand why," Harry said this fast, but not too fast for him to understand. "You never even apologised for being horrible to me and my friends and I still feel-"

"I don't like who my dad is," Malfoy said, surprising her, "I don't want to be like him anymore." He confessed, but his eyes were downcast.

"You're not like him," Harry said, calmer than before "Even when you were younger, you were a complete _penis_ but you weren't cruel like he was."

Harry looked at Draco and noticed he was laughing but had tears in his eyes.

"Did you just call me a penis?"

"Yes!" Harry hit him gently on the chest for teasing her choice of insult.

"Thankyou," Draco said, "For everything."

Harry didn't know why she did, but she hugged him, it was what she did when Ron or Hermione were sad, so she will claim it was a habit.

Though she's never hugged either of them whilst straddling them on the floor, she also never stared into their watery silver eyes after hugging them, nor did she kiss them.

But she did kiss Malfoy. He leaned in a little bit and brushed his lips against hers, lightly, and, only ever having kissed Cedric in their fourth year, who, honestly wasn't a very good kisser, she wrapped her arms around Draco's neck and kissed him properly.

They pulled apart and both freaked out a little.

Harry touched her hand to her lips and then stood and just ran.

* * *

><p>He was in the room of requirement looking at the vanishing cabinet, if he failed the Dark Lord, he'd be killed, his mother would be killed, his father would be killed, Echo would be fed to the werewolves, or worse. He didn't want to die.<p>

But for now he was just looking at the cabinet, he came here to think about Potter.

She had always been a remarkable woman, small and thin but powerful and confident, she had shoulder length black hair and emerald eyes, and she was very pretty.

Not beautiful, not sexy, _pretty. _He opened up to her, that one night, because it was all getting too much.

He knew his mother suffered when the Dark Lord came for a visit, he couldn't go home, it was too dangerous, he was supposed to kill his headmaster, soon, and to top it all off, he had kissed Harry Potter, and enjoyed it. He thinks he likes her but he knew he couldn't actually peruse any kind of relationship. She would flip if she ever found his mark. He cared too much about her to hurt her like that, and that thought scared him.

He didn't know if it was because he had know her since he was 11, even though they didn't have a very positive relationship, or if it was just how easily they got over that stuff. He liked her very much. Which was why he should never, never ever never ever never see her again.

His decision to avoid her was all for naught. Echo reinstated their dark arts lessons, as well as suggesting Draco really did help Harry with potions seeing as Snape was getting near unbearable now in classes, and someone needed to help poor Sasha, who was utterly terrible at the subtle art of potion making.

It was an awkward first lesson back, Echo was obviously getting more and more frustrated, Draco and Harry wouldn't look at one another and to top it off, the spells they were learning this time were not even borderline dark, they were downright cruel and dangerous.

Echo had a box of small white mice, Harry felt sick at what they were about to do.

"Dark arts is about intent. I need you to recognise these spells first." Echo said, she lifted a mouse from the box by its tail, "Write down which spell you think I've cast." She unstructed and it began. Harry felt ill, she did recognise these spells, ones that had missed her by less than an inch and it made her stomach drop when she saw the effects. She did her best to recognise them, writing down the colour, incantation, wand movement, counter curse and effects, but there were more than she knew, and her notes were full of holes.

The first spell saw the little mouse squeal in unmistakable pain as its insides were pulled from its mouth, still alive the panicking animal died very slowly, the second one seemed to be burning alive from the inside out, a small pile of ash was all that's left, the next seemed to have all of its bones broken, with a crunching noise the animal was folded in on itself.

Harry wanted to stop watching, but she wanted to see this happen to her friends even less.

The lesson was quiet, Echo tortured the mice, until they were all dead, then wordlessly handed Harriet and Draco a list of the spells she used, and took their lists to mark.

"Complete the lists, effects, wand movement, incantation, counter curse. We'll practice the spells next time." She instructed then she left.

"I'll clean up," Malfoy announced, he was very pale, facing the line of dead rodents. Harriet wanted to help, she really did, but she couldn't bring herself to.

"The killing curse is not as bad as these curses," She said. "It's painless."

Malfoy shook his head, "But there's no counter curse for the killing curse, it is designed for execution, judgement." He argued as he vanished the remains of the rodents.

"There are worse things than death." Harry told him, he looked up at that and nodded. "I guess there is," He whispered. Then Harriet left.

* * *

><p>Harry spent the next few weeks dutifully completing all of her work, Draco had really started ignoring her, and honestly it was making her kind of sad, he went home for one weekend and then just changed 180, he went back to his <em>penis<em> persona.

Harry's grades had improved though, for some reason now, while she had retreated into herself again she had turned into Hermione, only very recently had Harry allowed herself to do better in school, now knowing that the Dursleys don't bother to open any mail from Hogwarts, including her grades, so now she was top of her classes, beaten only by Hermione and Draco, and Neville in Herbology.

But Harry was top of her DADA class, as usual. In fact she was doing very well in potions, and it was by some miracle that Snape allowed her in his class, Harry was sure she had McGonagall to thank for that. Harry had even taken to reading a few dark arts books and teaching herself, seeing as Echo had all but disappeared completely. She knew her list of particularly nasty curses by heart, though she dare not practice them (she did practice the counter curses).

* * *

><p>Draco was terrified; He couldn't get the memory of his 'visit home' from his mind.<p>

_Draco had stepped through the floo with Professor Snape, desperately trying to discreetly dry his eyes, his mark had burned, but white hot pain had shot straight through his arm as well._

_He was in his home, and he didn't feel safe to run to his room or go see his mum, just walking up the hallway he saw two dirty men raping a young muggle woman. Snape had to yank him along the corridor to the drawing room, where the Dark Lord was waiting, Echo was sitting on the floor behind him, but she looked terrible._

_Severus' hand had clamped down on Draco's shoulder when he saw his daughter, he obviously hadn't known she'd been here._

_The Dark Lord smiled when he saw him._

"_Draco Malfoy, our guest of honour," Draco went white, but it didn't seem to bother Voldemort. "How's Dumbledore, Draco? Alive, well that's bad news for you Crucio."_

_Draco still flinched when he just thought about the curse, there was no pain in this world that compared to it, he screamed like a child when the magic swept over him, it was like his insides had been ripped through his body and into his eye sockets by meat hooks. His mother told him it had only been a few seconds, but it felt like a week, and even when the curse was lifted it didn't just stop, he was sore from where he had bashed himself against the floor in his vain attempts to escape the pain._

"_You haven't made any attempts to kill Dumbledore, Draco and I'm getting impatient, so, long story short, you can either kill Dumbledore or I kill Mummy Crucio!"_

_He had begged for mercy, pleaded. And eventually the pain stopped. But It was not over for Echo. With a word the two men from the hall were allowed into the drawing room and they took her away with the instructions of 'no bites, don't kill her.'_

_Echo had screamed as the men took her away, as had Severus, which ended in him being tortured too. It was most of the night before Voldemort let them all leave, and Draco and his mother had to help Snape back to the school through the floo,Narcissa promised Severus to care for Echo when her punishment was done._

He was crying again, but at least now he had a plan, Draco wiped his eyes as he headed for the room of requirement.


	4. This is Friendship

**IV. THIS IS FRIENDSHIP**

Harry was unhappy, the only times she had seen Draco were when they were passing in the halls, and three of those five times they had ended up hexing each other, and therefore, much to Ron's delight, she hated Draco Malfoy once again. Harry didn't understand it, how could he just be like that? Hermione of course had told her countless time how much it made sense for Draco – Malfoy to turn into a penis again, but to Harry it didn't seem right.

They continued like this for a few more weeks, Harry completely ignoring her friends and throwing herself either into schoolwork or into Malfoy (to injure him, that is) of course, she knew she would have to face her life again someday, and unfortunately for Harry, that day was today.

"Harry could I speak to you after class?" Anastasia had been standing by the door and startled her as she came in, but Harry recovered and nodded quickly enough, she was first to class, and took her seat.

The lesson was uninteresting, just going over spells that are useful in combat, ones that are easy to say with minimal wand swishing, Harry stayed back to speak to Anastasia.

"Harry, relax, I vant to speak to you about Sasha," Anastasia motioned for her to sit on her desk next to her, "He is not vell, you have noticed?"

"No, I haven't sorry," Harry said, thinking back to the last time she had spoken to Sasha.

"Could you speak vit him? And just see if he is upset," Anastasia smiled lightly, "I vould but he vould not like me to, he is very independent."

"Of course, I'll have a word with him." Harry promised, feeling terrible she had neglected her friend so completely.

Harry went to History next, and being the most boring topic on the face of the world, even though they were learning about a Vampire Metamorphagus called Luca who slyly made her was into the hearts of muggle families before killing them all, and the effect that she had on wizarding laws and regulations regarding both muggles and magical creatures, she was still bored out of her mind.

"Sasha, are you awake?" Harry gently nudged Sasha's elbow, and he lifted his head.

"Yes, Harry?" Harry felt extremely guilty, it was obvious he hadn't been eating or sleeping, his eyes were bloodshot and she swore his hair was thinner.

"What's wrong Sasha, you obviously haven't been looking after yourself." Harry absently wiped some smudged ink off his cheek.

"I am fine, don't worry," Sasha's voice trembled when he said it, Harry just gave him a look.

"Fine, I'm concerned for Echo, I believe she is very unwell." Sasha ran his hand through his hair, "She has been vomiting and is tired and sick, she has lost weight and does not act happy."

"Oh, ok, what do you think is wrong?" Harry asked. Sasha just shook his head.

"I could not say but, when I saw him, to ask about Echo, Draco seemed just as run down and ill. They both look pained by something." Sasha waved his hand, "I'm sure its nothing, I'm not feeling well, I think I will see the nurse."

Harry barely noticed him leave the room, Professor Binns didn't notice at all. Hermione noticed of course and move into Sasha's vacated seat.

"You ready to talk to me yet Harry?" She said. Harry sighed. Harmione gave her a look.

"I guess I should, huh?" She whispered with a weak smile. "When did everything get so complicated?" Hermione grabbed her hand with a sad smile.

Harry took Hermione's advice to heart and searched for Malfoy, she couldn't even find him on the map, so he was definitely up to something, but what? She found Echo though, in what looked like the potions masters office.

Harry just wandered the castle then until curfew, heading back to Gryffindor tower where Sasha had waited for her.

"Hello Harry," he said, his accent was getting a lot clearer now, he could even do a 'th' and 'w' sound thanks to a 'noise making class' the Gryffindor sixth years had, all of them pulling faces and making weird sound to 'help' Sasha with his English. But he had to be concentrating real hard to do them. No one minded his accent though, and many of the Gryffindors found it maddeningly attractive.

"Hey, what did Madame Pomfrey say?" Harry asked sitting by him.

"I vas dehydrated, I have to take a potion vit every meal for a few weeks to lower my stress level and make up for the lack of food." Sasha sighed, "I hate potions."

Harry giggled remembering Sasha's attempt at potions, he had been kicked out of the NEWT class for melting too many cauldrons, even with Harry and Hermione's help.

"Shut up Harry." Sasha said, though he was smiling at her. She pulled a chess board over between them, she was rubbish at the game but she knew Sasha enjoyed it and his eyes lit up at the challenge. They actually stayed up quite late, Harry even improving her chess skills marginally, it was three in the morning before they left the common room for bed.

The very next day, the sun rose to a beautiful clear sky and everyone was amazingly happy because it was Friday morning; of course, the newspaper brought devastating news to most of the students.

**DEATH EATERS ATTACK MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

_At around eight pm last night, The followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named launched an attack at the Ministry of Magic. There were around eighty employees still in the building when over two hundered death eaters attacked. There seemed to be no real goal of the attack, nothing was taken and no information was compromised, but the employees were all executed and their bodies left strung up in the Atrium._

_It is truly the most horrendous attack with the greatest number of casualties mounted by any dark lord, last night family and friends were notified of the names of the victims and the ministry is already planning the erection of a memorial and a service for their memory._

_The Wizarding community of Britain is asked not to panic in such times, but we highly recommend strongly warding your property against attack and leaving your children at Hogwarts, which has some of the best protection in the world._

_Please go to pages 5-11 for more information on warding your home, and what to do in case of an attack on your person, residence or nearby residence._

Harry dropped the paper, Hermione read it in a mere second and they both looked around the hall. Harry covered her mouth with her hands.

"Hermione, where's Ron?" She asked, Hermione made a strangled noise and shook her head.

"I don't know," She said, "You don't think Mr. Weasley-?" She began, Harry shook her head.

"No, he's fine, he must be fine."

The bell rang and the girls and Sasha headed towards transfiguration They never even made it to the Transfiguration classroom. McGonagall took Harry and Hermione aside.

"I'm very sorry for the both of you, Mr. Weasley has been taken home today because Arthur Weasley and Percy Weasley were both killed in the attack on the Ministry."

Neither Harry nor Hermione could move or speak, Hermione eventually started crying, and Harry held her while she did. "Can we go to see him professor?" Harriet asked, McGonagall shook her head. "Only the immediate family of the victims are allowed to leave the school, they will be back within the week." McGonagall said, "You may write to him of course, and classes will be cancelled until the students return."

McGonagall left them, Hermione hiccupping slightly, Harry refused to believe such a thing could be true. Mr. Weasley couldn't be dead, not the kindly mad who asked the most bizarre questions about muggle items and who always winked at his children when their mother was giving them a lecture on one thing or another. Or Percy, with his horned rimmed glasses and absolute dedication to the rules.

"I'm going to write him," Hermione said, "I'll sign your name too Harry, will you be alright by yourself?" She asked, Harry smiled sadly at the teary eyed girl and nodded.

"I'll see you tonight then, thankyou Hermione."

Harry eventually stood in the shadows of the 2nd floor girl's bathroom, thinking it was myrtle standing at the sinks sobbing, but Myrtle's soft voice drifted through the bathroom.

"_I can help you; tell me what's wrong,"_

Harry recognised the harsh, cold voice of the reply. The sound of his voice brought his pale sneering 11 year old face to the front of her mind.

"No one can help me."

Draco Malfoy.

Harry knew Malfoy would probably attack her if he knew Harry was here, listening to him cry.

But Harry had a saving people thing, and she would blame that if you asked her now.

"Malfoy?" Harry called out to the almost empty bathroom.

"D-Draco are you ok?" Harry called out again.

"Potter?" Malfoy was furious; Harry could hear the fury in his movements as he drew his wand. "Get out, leave me be."

"I want to help." She pleaded, feeling utterly worn out because of everything that had happened today, she suddenly regretted offering her help. He was never going to accept it.

"Help?" Malfoy was moving now, wand out, trying to hex her away, Harry carefully stayed hidden. "You have to help everyone don't you Potter?" Malfoy sneered. "Well you can't help me."

"Apart from Myrtle, has anyone even offered?" She shot back, though she still didn't feel as fiery as she normally would be.

"Yes!" Malfoy said, rather defensively.

"Snape," Harry said. Malfoy was silent.

"I can't do this," Malfoy said, "Look at me, crying in a bloody girl's bathroom."

"Do what, Draco?" Harry poked her head around the side of the sink, and when she was sure he wouldn't hex her, she went over to him.

"Don't worry, I'm just stressed, war and everything."

Harry looked at her feet, "you are not alright." Harry said, still not looking at him. "I'm worried about you, and I… I miss you."

"I know Mr. Weasley was killed, are you alright? I thought you were close to them?" He asked instead. The words cut her, but she still wouldn't believe it was real, so she stayed silent on the matter, just nodded.

Draco pulled her to him and stroked her hair, kissing her forehead softly. Harry wanted to pull away, she really did. She wanted to shake him and make him tell her what was bothering him, if only to forget about the tragedy the Weasleys were living with now, but she _had_ missed him, in more ways than just his company, so she sat there and let him hold her.

They were inseparable then next few days, just as well because the castle was almost deserted, most students had gone home to be with their families, more attacks were happening every day and many people wanted to go into hiding, the muggle studies teacher had gone missing.

They were in the room of requirement, alone in front of a fire, Draco was telling her about his childhood, and Harry was happy to hear Lucius wasn't a bad father, just a bad human being. Narcissa sounded like such a nice lady.

"Could I meet your mother, Draco?" Harry asked, there had been a lull in the conversation, and Harry was looking at the picture Draco kept of his mother in his wallet. She had long straight blonde hair and she looked incredibly like Draco, she also reminded Harry strongly of Sirius.

"Um, I guess," Draco said, "I don't think you should meet my father though, at least until after the war."

"and I don't suggest you meet the Dursley's at all," Harry said, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just glad I have you."

"You have me?" Harry didn't like the thought of being owned.

Draco blushed this time. "I wasn't supposed to, to fall in love with you Harry," He moved away from her, she was left speechless. "I can forget about all the bad stuff when I'm with you.

Harry smiled at him and grabbed his hand, snuggling in next to him.

"You can have me then," She said, "Draco, I love you too."

Harry blinked wearily the next morning; they had fallen asleep talking last night. She was on top of Draco's chest, his arms were around her waist, she looked at his face, he was still sleeping and looked so relaxed. He moved in his sleep and pulled her on to the lounge next to him; she was truly trapped now.

Harry managed to turn herself around and looked at his arms, they were wrapped all the way around her and his hands were holding her tightly.

"Draco, wake up," she whispered to him as she attempted to pry his arms off, she got the left one first and managed to get it off her when she saw it, the Dark Mark seemed even blacker because his skin was so pale, she felt her scar burn just a little, but she barely noticed.

Harry's breath had stopped; she couldn't believe he was… She had suspected, once but forgot he could be that kind of person.

And he must have been planning this all along, maybe he would take her on a nice little date and give her over to the _fucking _dark lord.

Harry finally snapped back to attention and hit him, hard, he woke, afraid and let her go. Harriet thought to scoop up her school shoes and wand before sprinting back to Gryffindor common room, she could hear Draco chasing after her but ran as fast as she could until she was back at the common room.

Sasha was there, which surprised her and all she could do was scream. "Harry, Harry vats the matter?" Sasha grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into a hug, she was crying, she didn't know if she would ever stop crying.

"Harry?" Sasha asked again.

And all she could manage was "He's a fucking death eater."

Sasha said nothing, just held her as she cried.

Draco hadn't left school, as Harry expected him to, and Harry hadn't told anyone, but she knew she should have, again she threw herself into her schoolwork, most students –including Ron and Hermione- were back and they all had been working incredibly hard to catch up in time for their finals, Harry wasn't worried, she was far ahead and only doing better the longer she didn't think about Draco.

Their History of magic final was the first exam, and they were in the Great Hall just like the OWLS had been, Harry found it easy, she found History incredibly interesting when it wasn't explained by a ghost with a monotone and no interest in entertaining his class, hence Harry had read about the subject in her own time, not having much else to read.

She met with Hermione – who was looking up all the questions she wasn't certain of- and Ron -who was still mourning the loss of his dad and Percy, so as one can imagine, not exactly riveting conversation.

Harry began to think, and again remembered the morning she found Draco's mark, and not wanting to remember that, Harry began to read 1000 magical herbs and fungi.

By the time Harry finished all her exams she had begun reading next year's text books, she knew one day her friends would get out of their funk and force her to confront this, but for now it hurt her far too much to think about it, hence she avoided it at all costs. She was avoiding everything; the death of Mr. Weasly and Percy, Draco, Echo, the whole war.

The term was near ending and Draco was tugging nervously at his left sleeve. He didn't want to be a death eater, he never wanted to be like his father, not since he turned 16 and realised what a…_Penis_ his father was. He nearly cried as he was reminded of Harry, who had called him a penis, and he had laughed at her.

It wasn't supposed to be this way, he should be fighting with his girlfriend because she dropped a hint that she wanted some shoes and he didn't buy them for her, not because they were on opposite sides of a war.

He should worry his parents wouldn't approve of her when she came for dinner in the summer. Not know most of the people at home now would try to kill her.

He needed a plan, but he needed his mother and Snape's help, he needed more information. For now though Draco went where he always went when he was upset, moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor.

Draco pushed the door open, and was surprised to see Harry sitting on the floor talking to Myrtle.

"You're glasses suit you though, you're not un-pretty Myrtle," Harry was saying, Myrtle giggled.

"No one at school liked me; no one has ever liked me." Myrtle looked on the verge of tears again. Draco listen as Harry consoled her and they talked about really girly stuff, until Harry asked a question that made no sense.

"Myrtle do you remember Tom Riddle?" Myrtle nodded slowly.

"He was a bit seedy, I never had much to do with him, good looking though," Myrtle said, and then the ghost drifted off, excusing herself to the lake. Harry stayed there, and Draco realized that he was happy, he was just watching her and he was happy and that's why he decided to cast a body bind curse on her.

* * *

><p>Echo was sore all over, she should have expected being the werewolf pack's plaything meant all horror no perks. She was sick of her father worrying, there was nothing for it, and if she wanted to live she had no choice.<p>

She didn't want to die.

She was only made to go to the werewolves when she and Draco had made no to little progress with their plan, some weeks they had nothing to report, the cabinet was stubborn, and The Dark Lord had made sure to keep her father incredibly busy so they couldn't rely on him for help. But the memory of the pack of disgusting animals made her skin crawl, and she felt dirty, she needed to get clean and she went to the shower.

"Echo?" Echo heard her father come into his quarters, she didn't like people touching her, it reminded her of them, and so she stayed in the shower, silent. "Echo?"

Echo continued to scrub at her dirty skin, she'd been in there for at least an hour and a half and she still couldn't get _clean._

"Echo!" The door bashed open and her dad came in, there was so much black material swishing around.

"Merlin," Severus said, and Echo noticed the blood, she'd scrubbed her skin _off_.

"I'm filthy," Echo whispered, Ignoring the pain and scratching at her skin again, her father wrapped her in his cloak, and carried her from the bathroom.

"Echo, stop, now!" Severus grabbed her hands and held them so she couldn't scratch.

Echo cried then, she absolutely wailed as Severus put her onto the bed and Echo blacked out.

She could feel cool fingers holding her forearm. "Severus this has got to stop, you could tell him-"

"He does not accept excuses!" Her fathers voice filled her head, she was so tired, groggy, they'd given her a pain reliever and dreamless sleep, must have.

"Then just don't go back," the healer said, as if it were that simple.

"I am the Order's only informant," Her father told the nurse, "I need to stay there." Echo already knew this, if they were to leave the Death Eaters the war would be lost entierly.

"You have to sort out your priorities! Merlin, Severus, look at what this is doing to her! You have to leave, if it's the only thing that will save you both, you have to. Severus, you can't keep doing this. Mr. Markovic?"

The final name woke something in her, Sasha couldn't be allowed to see her like this, disgusting and filthy and broken. He mustn't know. Her shoulders were held down as she tried to sit up, to fight off the groggy, sleepy effects of the potions but she still couldn't sit up, speak, open her eyes.

The tiredness swept over her again and she could only lie down.

"Vat has happened, Severus?" Sasha asked, she felt him grab her hand but she couldn't even squeeze his fingers to let him know she was alright. She felt his hand on her forearm, fingers brushing over the Dark Mark.

"You're her father, and you should have protected her!" he half yelled "he will kill her!"

"I know," Severus stood up, "but she will be fine, Mr. Markovic, please return to your common room."

Echo could only lay still as she heard the door slam, and Her father scooped her up and walked her back to her room, she fell asleep once more.

"Echo, are you awake?" Severus sat a tray with soup and bread on her bedside table, and she stirred slowly before fully waking. She looked terrible, Poppy had healed her skin, but she looked like she hadn't eaten in days. She _hadn't_ eaten in days, at least not properly. She smiled for a fraction of a second when she saw him, and then she remembered her life again and the smile faltered.

"We're not going back there, Echo," Severus told her, "You're too important for me to loose like this."

"I'm not going anywhere," Echo told him and picked apart the bread that was on the plate, and not eating any.

"It's not fair," Severus said, "I should have protected you better, there's no excuse for-" Echo sighed.

"Can I have some dreamless sleep, please?"

Severus pulled a vial out of his robes, and she downed it immediately. He remembered when she was little she used to inquire about exactly what was in it and what it could easily be mistaken for. Severus watched her sleep for a minuet before sinking down besides the bed. He cried himself to sleep on the floor of her room that night.

Sasha went to find Harry, naturally she was nowhere to be found, he had used her map to find Echo but now had no way to get the map to look for her again. She disappeared a lot lately, going to insanely difficult to find passageways to read her text books, he still couldn't believe she brought extra to read ahead for next year, he would have to confront her about Draco soon, especially if he wanted her help now.

After an hour of looking, Sasha still hadn't found her, and gave up; he would have to help Echo himself. In addition, what did he know about Echo's situation?

She was obviously a Death Eater and Snape was also, of course he heard Snape say he was the only spy the Order of the Phoenix has, so for Snape to leave, they would need a new spy, so Sasha would go in his place. He just needed to know where You-Know-Who was now, obviously he couldn't ask Snape. He was missing something, he knew it.

He also couldn't go to Anastasia; she would have kittens if he told her his plan, and then kick him in the face for being so reckless. But he needed to help Echo, she looked so _broken. And he knew he could help._


	5. This Is Love

**V. THIS IS LOVE**

Anastasia Markovic was a clever woman, so she still didn't know why she went out alone on a Saturday night. It was all well and good when you were with friends, but without anyone near her, slightly tipsy and lost on some run-down street in London, so she wasn't so clever. Turns out though she wasn't as lost as she thought she was, in fact she was only a street away from the Leaky Cauldron, but she didn't know that.

And so when Lucius Malfoy apparated in front of her, seemingly from Azkaban, she thought she was hallucinating.

"Ms. Markovic, no?" Lucius asked her, Anastasia stayed quiet. A few streets away a huge bang marked the start of a raging inferno. Anastasia realized where she was.

"Diagon Alley?"

Lucius sneered at her, he looked remarkably like Draco, but the resemblance wore thin under his few measly months in Azkaban. Lucius shot the first curse, and since he was probably a little mad and she was a little tipsy they were a very even match, she didn't know how long they fought, she just knew she needed to get into Diagon Alley, The Ministry would need all the help they could get. Screaming began to pierce the air and the fire spread. Lucius was getting slower, she would be able to finish him soon, and Anastasia barely thought of her student, who was also the son of this man as she fired a killing curse at him.

It missed.

She fired another, hitting him square in the chest this time and he died halfway through casting a killing curse of his own.

Anastasia ran to the Leakey Cauldron, stumbling in on three Death Eaters picking on a blonde boy. She was tempted to leave him, until she heard an accent that made her blood run cold. The boy was Russian.

She stunned two of the men and punched the third in the face, and then she crouched by Sasha who was covered in welts, blood and bruises.

"You should be at school," She checked him over and quickly healed what she could.

"I vanted to find them," Sasha sat up, she decided he would be fine, there was nothing too serious, "I vas going to join tem and then Echo and Severus would be able to go free."

Anastasia would have hit him had he not already clearly been hit.

"You need to go back to Hogwarts," She pushed him too the floo, "and stay there, please, Sasha, I'll talk to you later." She watched him go, just as the roof of the pub caught fire.

* * *

><p>Draco stared into Harry's eyes; he could see how furious she was, and even though she couldn't move her face, Draco could tell she was a little scared. He didn't know why he had cursed her, so she wouldn't run away perhaps, or so she wouldn't try to cut his face off.<p>

"I know I'm being a twat," he began with, "but I didn't want you to run away, and I just decided to talk to you now, I actually came here to talk to Myrtle." Draco stopped and took a deep breath, "I need your help, Harry I need you, I can't believe how happy you make me and I didn't chose this," Draco ripped up his left sleeve, it was the first time he had willingly, in full consciousness shown anyone, "He's in my home, he's torturing my mother and I don't want him there! I'm sorry, Harry." Draco said, releasing the spell, he didn't deserve her, but Harry hugged him, cautiously. She relaxed when he grabbed her and squeezed her and cried on her shoulder.

Well as relaxed as you could be having a crying Malfoy on your shoulder.

"Draco," Harry began, but Draco kissed her full on the lips.

"Merlin, I love you."

It had slipped from his mouth, as easy as saying something trivial, like 'nice weather?' or 'the sky is blue.'

It sounded like the right thing to say when she hugged him harder, he did notice her lack of reply though.

Once Sasha got back the news of the attack had already spread to Hogwarts, he was met by Professor McGonagall who strictly told him to wait in her office, she even made a point of removing her floo powder.

She came back very soon, and offered him a seat. He declined politely, preferring to pace back and forth in worry.

"Your sister is back and is in the hospital wing, she may be unconscious for a few hours, but Madame Pomfrey predicts she will be fine."

"Tank you," Sasha said.

"You left the school without permission, Mr. Markovic, to participate in a battle no less, and I hope you have begun to realise what danger you've put yourself in and will therefore have detention with me, every night for the rest of the term."

Sasha nodded, he had expected this.

"Go," McGonagall said, "I have too much to do."

There were a few people Harry knew that were hurt and killed, Tom the barkeeper died, Olivander and George Weasley were injured, a great deal of the siblings and parents of Hogwarts students were hurt and killed, so again school was disrupted, but as they were just waiting for the term to end it didn't matter much.

But it surprised Harry that it was Lucius Malfoy's death that impacted her the most.

Draco was pretending to not be upset; he knew his father had tried to kill his girlfriend and Harry was trying not to cheer him up by insulting his father, but she knew he was unhappy, and she had to help him.

Harry knew he would be with Myrtle; he liked Myrtle because she didn't know he was a Malfoy and didn't know about the war, so when he said his father died, she would properly console him.

She found him, but Myrtle wasn't there, he wasn't crying.

"Hey," Harry walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Talk to me?"

Draco looked at her in the mirror, "I'm ok, I know you didn't like him."

"Well I only met him a few times, and he was trying to kill me most of those times, so who would I have met if there was no war?"

"He wasn't bad, he was always really strict though, you know the cane he carried round? Don't look at me like that, he never hit me with it, he had a charm on it, so he'd swing it but it didn't hurt, used to scare the living daylights out of me." Draco was about to start crying, she could tell.

"He was funny, he used to always make me laugh, I guess he was an ass sometimes, Merlin I miss him."

Now Draco did start crying, and he did in earnest, Harry just held him.

"Harry…" Draco was being dragged to McGonagall's office, he wasn't particularly impressed by Harry's plan, it was far too risky for his liking. And they were running out of time.

"Ms Potter, Mr Malfoy, you wanted to see me?" McGonagall to Draco looked much sterner than she usually did, Harry was not phased.

"Professor we need your help, Draco tell her?"

Draco felt Harry grab his hand and squeeze it; he hesitated but only for a second.

"I'm…a Death Eater." Draco mumbled it, but he was ashamed of himself, but to his surprise, McGonagall laughed.

"My, Mr Malfoy I thought you had gotten Ms Potter pregnant," McGonagall had a little giggle and Draco looked a little insulted, Harry just looked at her Professor, a little worried.

"Sorry, Mr Malfoy there are serious consequences for anyone who has joined the Dark Lord, you realise this?"  
>"Wait, he wants to leave though, he shouldn't be punished, he didn't have a choice when they asked!"<p>

"I understand that circumstances may have caused you this undesirable situation Mr Malfoy, but-"

"No buts, it's not fair for us to condemn people when they want to change, we came to you for help professor!"

"Miss Potter," McGonagall looked at Harry and Harry was nearly growling back.

McGonagall backed down, knowing the girl was right.

"Very well, however Ms Potter, Mr. Malfoy I am now speaking as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and Harry I am trusting Mr. Malfoy because I trust you and I _trust_ you haven't misplaced your judgement.

"I have complete faith in Draco, Professor, I also have an idea."

* * *

><p>"Why was I born?"<p>

"Echo, don't say such things," Snape snapped, he was watching her very closely. "I know it hurts but it will end soon."

"Can he use it to kill us?"

Snape looked his daughter straight in the eye, "I do not know."

It was the way the mark was designed; it created agony until you went to him. He did not know how much control over a person the Dark Lord had because of it, but he had never heard of anything other than summons.

However, he was unsure if the pain would ever stop without the Dark Lord stopping it.

"It was a valid question, father, you have never even told me who my mother is?" She pushed, it was not something he wanted to disclose though.

I have never told you, Echo, that I was once in love with a woman," Severus paused, waiting for a sarcastic remark that never came. He hated himself for not protecting her better, she had lost all sense of worth, and her very character was now just a memory. Echo looked neither shocked nor interested; he was surprised she had seriously asked the question in the first place. The pain in his arm escalated, just a tiny bit.

"Her name was Lily Evans, we were friends since before Hogwarts." Snape sighed, "She was a Muggleborn, and sorted into Gryffindor our first year. At the very end of our fifth year, we… had a fight of sorts and I called her a mudblood, she never spoke to me again, she married James Potter a few years later." He paused. "I am ashamed to say I got myself incredibly inebriated that night, and slept with a muggle woman who I had grown up with, in spinners end. She left you on my doorstep nine months later and threw herself off of a bridge." He told her, "Her name was Winter Fairchild, I did love her, puppy love, before I met Lily Evans we were neighbours, and… because of our parents had a lot in common."

"I love you, Dad," Echo looked Snape in the eye; they could both feel something through their mark. He frowned at how she took learning the identity of her mother, but a moment later he no longer cared.

Echo's father looked up at her from where he was draped on the lounge, she could feel it, the pain was a harsh unforgiving burn through her very bones, she could feel it grow more and more and it changed, she knew it was too late to go to the Dark Lord now. She went to her father, who held her.

Echo cried as again the burn in her bones intensified.

"I love you too, my daughter, I always have and I always will. And Echo," Severus caressed her cheek, "I'm sorry for not protecting you better, please stay safe."

"I love you Dad," Echo repeated.

"I love you too," He replied, "Always."

Echo screamed as the pain became greater and greater, and as she thought she would rip open and die, Severus Snape did. It began at the mark, a horrible tear that shot up his arm and over the left side of his face.

Black, thick tar seeped from the wound like a thousand snakes writhing from the gates of hell and they burned away his flesh.

Another tear started at his right knee and again the snakes burned their way through his robes and burnt away his skin.

Echo screamed at what she was seeing, the pain tearing through her own body forgotten, she couldn't move, the air felt like blood and was hard to swallow. Severus had still not died, but had screamed and cried, and begged until he panted, heavily and could do little more.

His head snapped up and eyes red as hell looked at Echo.

"Father?"

"No, my little girl," It was her father's mouth but the voice of her nightmare. Echo did not speak.

"Would this be horrible, my pet, for me to kill you while possessing the dying body of your father?

He advanced on her, crawling forward through the blood and the muck. Echo screamed and grabbed her wand.

Voldemort laughed, as if she were going to curse him but she turned the wand on herself and screamed the spell over and over.

Just below the elbow the skin shredded, as if a sword was being smashed into the joint a hundred times. Voldemort cried out and her mark ripped like her fathers, the tar pouring out but she had completely detached the appendage before Voldemort's black magic could reach any other part of her.

Voldemort left the small rooms, having only been in her mind, but Severus was still burning on the floor. She cauterized her arm and ran.

"Poppy!" Echo had given the nurse little warning about what exactly she would find in Severus's rooms but went to get the Headmistress and Anastasia.

She ran through the castle and in no time was at Anastasia's door, she only spared a moment to knock before bursting in.

"What is it, Echo?" Anastasia looked mildly alarmed by her abrupt entrance and Echo was glad, for once that she was so perceptive.

"Its dad, Ana, he's been hurt by the Dark Lord."

"He is in your rooms?"

"Poppy should already be there, should I get the headmaster?"

"He's not here, get McGonagall." Anastasia was out the door by the end of their conversation and running down the hall looking like a mildly graceful bat. Echo was headed to McGonagall's Office.

Minerva was sorting through yet more paperwork when Miss Snape flew into her office, immediately she noticed the girls severed arm (you would have to have a half a brain not to notice) but before she could begin to question her, Echo was already explaining.

"My father has been badly hurt by the dark lord, Professor he's in his chamber now and I've already sent Pomfrey and Anastasia to him."

McGonagall put a firm hand on her shoulder and made her sit down.

"It's alright, let me see your arm," McGonagall knew there was nothing they could do, she would need a wooden arm, there were minimal spells developed in this kind of area because there was rarely scenarios where the limb couldn't be reattached.

The girl held still, she was fully expecting her to act like Harry and pull away but she sat still and explained that she (Minerva herself that is,) was desperately needed in the dungeons.

"If you are insistent on my going, I'll request you remain here and take a sleeping draught."

She was unsurprised that the girl refused, and insisted on going back to her father.

"Very well, but you must stay out of the way, and if I tell you to leave, respect that it's for a reason."

Her Professor left no room for argument and Echo took her meaning as being the same for any command, and hence, followed her unspeaking back to the potion masters quarters.

Severus was lying on the floor; the tar like substance had not stopped its advance on his body, Echo cried when she saw him there, and Madame Pomfrey and Anastasia were fussing over him, Anastasia was looking at a rat or some other, small animal also covered in the tar.

"Don't touch it, Professor, it clings and we have not figured out how to get rid of it."

"Cut it off," Echo said, but saw then the tar had spread over his chest and neck.

"We can't," They looked at Snape, he was unconscious. "I've knocked him out, Echo," Anastasia paused, "I don't believe he will live."

Echo tried to go to her father, but they stopped her.

"No," she said, "No, I, no please." She was crying, quietly.

They waited with him, McGonagall went to get aurors and St Mungo's healers, but no one had seen anything like this before and eventually the decision was made to wait. Echo had refused to leave, and was sitting by her father with a hand on his cheek, watching to be careful none of Voldemort's spell could reach her.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was taking a report for the ministry and two healers were checking his vitals.

Echo sat with him for hours, he didn't wake up again and she didn't think he would, she hoped he wouldn't.

"Time of death, 3.05 am." The healer who had announced it covered Severus' gruesome remains with a white sheet.

The adults pulled Echo away, she remained completely still.

"Take her to Poppy, I believe Severus and Poppy were quite close," Anastasia instructed. The healer pulled Echo to the hospital wing.

"Minerva," Kinglsey turned to her with a very dark expression.

"I have never seen something like this, Kingsley, I fear that Voldemort's reach is much greater than we thought. You must see Mr Malfoy immediately, Miss Snape has removed the problem herself."

"If you would allow it, Minerva I would like to study his body, perhaps find a way to remove the mark before something like this could happen," Kingsley said, "We are loosing enough young wizards to the dark side, if the few that do come back believe this is their only fate we will always be outnumbered."

"Very well Kingsley, Where's Dumbledore? Surely he was called back to the castle in light of such disturbing circumstance?"

"I'm afraid he's still away for now. Where can I find Mr Malfoy?"

"I'll send Professor Sinstra to fetch him straight away, you may use my office."

Kingsley quickly made his way to McGonagall's office, Malfoy wasn't there and he awkwardly stood behind the desk, it was unfortunate that Snape had died, he was their only spy, they could, perhaps send Echo back, or the Malfoy boy, but he suspected they would lack that je ne sais pas that Snape had as far as his attention to detail went.

Draco then came into the room, he was thankfully alone but very weary, and, upon seeing the head auror he went quite white.

"Mr Malfoy," Kingsley addressed the boy that looked so like his bastard of a father. "I need to see your mark."

Draco reluctantly pulled up the sleeve of his arm deliberately not looking at the hideous thing, "What's going on?"

"Severus Snape was just killed," Kingsley said harshly, looking at the black scar on Malfoy's arm He grabbed it with bruising force. "Currently, Mr Malfoy, the only way to have the mark removed is to sever the arm completely, but," Draco looked at Kinsley's very serious expression, "You can still be tried for Death Eater activities-"

"What do you want?" Draco asked abruptly, Kingsley glared at him.

"A new double agent."

Draco reluctantly agreed, "Only until the mark can be removed, I never asked for this." He yanked his arm away from the Auror and pulled the sleeve down.

"The meeting that was just called was for nothing." Draco said, "He wanted to check up on me, I'm supposed to be trying to kill Dumbeldore."

Kingsley glared at him.

"I haven't done it," Draco hissed, "I was never going to."

"anything else I should know?" kingsley asked. Draco shook his head.

"The Dark Lord doesn't have a motive anymore." Draco said, "He's just obsessed with killing Harry."

Draco went to Echo then; she was in the hospital wing. Echo flinched when she saw him and he couldn't meet her eyes. "He was your godfather?" Echo asked, he still didn't look at her; just nodded.

"I never wanted to be a Death Eater," Echo said quietly." I was forced, like you; I was aiming to take my father's place as the double agent. If I had kept the mark, I would be dead."

Draco looked at the girls arm. Hacked away at the elbow. The scar was neat, as if the limb was just invisible. Straight red lines going across the stump.

"It still feels like its there," Echo said. Then she looked away.

"The Dark Lord-" Draco began. Echo glared not at him but at the name – the reminder.

"I'll kill him, I swear I'll kill him." She said, fire jumping into her eyes.

"I'm supposed to be the new double agent." Draco said slowly. Echo's head snapped up.

"You have a lot of work to do." She told him. "I can help you, Occumency in particular, you need to harden up, be able to torture and kill like a madman, and you need a certain attention to details, you have to be coherent, and precise when recounting what you've seen. Also, you must be able to resist memory charms and the imperious curse."

Draco raised an eyebrow at her. She just gave him an unreadable look that made him feel stupid.

"I can teach you, if you like."

Draco nodded.


	6. This is Fear

**VI. THIS IS FEAR**

Harry was looking for Draco. She didn't appreciate being put in a body bind but since she could see why he would do it; she, after some time to calm down, understood. It was the last day of term and McGonagall had addressed the students that morning that the school train would not be used today, instead the floo network would be opened to the Great Hall and people were to floo straight home, the train would make them vulnerable; it was a painfully obvious target and it wasn't worth the risk. Aurors stood in pairs at each of the six massive fireplaces, students lined up by house and age at each one, the seventh years waiting up the front for the first available fireplace. Harry caught a glimpse of silver hair being whooshed away by the green flames just as she heard Draco's voice cry 'Malfoy Manor'. He didn't say goodbye to her, which had in all honesty hurt, seeing as they were still on rocky ground.

Harry looked around at the sound of her name. McGonagall was striding towards her.

"Potter, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you." McGonagall said, Harry raised her eyebrows but followed her professor to the Headmasters office, which was the same round room full of shiny buzzing whirling trinkets, but she paid them little attention, looking at the elderly man behind his big desk.

"My dear Harriet!" Dumbledore greeted her jovially and beckoned her to come in and sit down which she did, albeit apprehensively.

"I have both good and bad news." Dumbledore said, though he cintinued to smile. "The good news is, you've been permitted to remain at Hogwarts this summer." Harry looked at him, shocked, good news? SHe wouldnt have to return to the Dursleys this summer, that news was excellent. "The bad news is, Professors McGonagall, Sinstra, Markovic and myself will be helping you learn more advanced magic in preparation for, what I fear is an inevitable battle."

"Professor, I don't think that's bad news at all," She said with an excited smile. Harry was shocked to say the least, this was it, and she was now officially fighting this war. They were actually helping her, preparing her.

"Voldemort has made it apparent he is no longer interested in killing you." Dumbledore paused, "He would prefer to 'train' you. Break you." Harriet didn't know how to respond, she didn't even wholly understand. "He believes ultimate loyalty can come from immense pain and wants to test this. It is not something to be taken lightly, my dear." Dumbledore warned and Harriet couldn't help but feel her excitement ebb away.

"What exactly do you mean Sir?" She asked him.

"Voldemort intends to torture you into madness." He told her bluntly and she suddenly felt a weight on her chest, like the fear was physically sitting with her.

Harriet couldn't help but not care if he was finished talking to her or not. She had to leave. It was distressing news to say the least. She ran into Sasha in the entrance hall.

"Anastasia told me." He said, "I'm sorry."

She just nodded, forcing a smile. "Its fine." She said, "Are you staying here in the summer too?"

Sasha just nodded. They seemed to both be paying intent attention to the students moving around the hall and yelling and talking.

"Draco left without saying goodbye." Harry said quietly, Sasha gave her a sad look.

"Draco has a lot on his mind." Sasha said, she agreed but she couldn't help but be hurt. Harry did cheer up as her friends approached her, Ron and Hermione.

"I'm staying at Hogwarts for the summer," She whispered to them, they both looked delighted. "Dumbeldore want's me battle ready."

"Harry that's really really good," Hermione said, "Promise you'll work hard? Oh it will be so ineresting."

Harry nodded with a smile on her face. She couldn't help but enjoy how Hermione was so work driven.

"And teach us what they show you?" Ron pleaded, Harry laughed and nodded.

"I promise I will, on both counts, Hopefully I'll be able to come and visit, if not I'll write you. I'll definately write. Maybe you can come here to visit. I'll ask Dumbeldore." Harry promised them, Anastasia waved them off towards a free fireplace and final goodbyes were said, Harry was sad to see them go, despite the prospect of her private lessons this summer, she wanted to be going with them.

"I'm going to go," Harry told Sasha, "I'd just like to think for a bit." He nodded his understanding and she left the great hall as the students trickled away.

* * *

><p>The extra training began the very next morning, Echo and Sasha both joined her at Professor Markovic's insistence. Sinstra was teaching them mostly defensive magic; how to take an educated guess at what spell a person would cast and recognizing spells, as well as protective warding. Anastasia would teach them more of the Dark Arts spells and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Defense Against dark creatures. McGonagall was still teaching transfiguration, but a whole new aspect of her subject. Along with learning to transfigure weapons and shields, they were learning to use weapons. It was a shock to say the least, to learn the strict older woman was deadly proficient with medieval muggle weaponry.<p>

"There's nothing wrong with carrying a weapon as well as a wand," McGonagall was saying, "It would have to be a real one," She walked around to behind her desk and pulled out two short blades. "Its unexpected." She said with a near manic smile. "Though conjured weapons are good for one or two uses, if you are stuck.

All three students were dumbstruck. She swung them around with frightening accuracy, not a hair out of place.

"Usually they will take your wand, but you can infuse blades with charms so the can deflect magic too." McGonagall Told them before she pulled out three very plain daggers, "I brought you these to practice with," She handed the blades out.

"Now what you must do; is put your wand against the blade and wordlessly force the blade to take the magic." They were instructed by their professor.

Sasha tried to do it first, and it worked a little bit, McGonagall told him to take a fighting stance and cast a stupefy curse at him. The blade slowed it, and it only made Sasha stumble a bit. Echo did hers perfectly and was praised by McGonagall which got the sullen girl to offer them a small smile.

Harry too tried and used the Protego charm, it didn't work at all, the blade split.

"You've pushed too hard," McGonagall said, "The blade couldn't hold that much magic, you'll need a better one." She took the blade off her and waved her wand to mend the damage.

"It's good," Echo said to Harry, "That you have so much power, you can really pack a punch, but," She took the now fixed dagger off McGonagall and handed it to Harry. "It's important to be able to do very subtle magic too. You should practice."

Harry took the blade off her and McGonagall smiled at Echo.

"Exactly Miss Snape. You're so like you're father," She said. Echo spared a smile for her. "Well Potter," McGonagall snapped, "are you waiting for a formal invitation?"

Harry cast the spell again and the blade glowed and shuddered but took the shield charm without fracturing.

"Ready?" McGonagall asked and Harry held the blade in front of her like she would hold a wand McGonagall cast the curse and Harry flinched as the curse caught the dagger and rebounded but the dagger split again.

"Good, good well done Potter. I'll need to replace that dagger, though." She mumbled and Harriet handed the weapon back.

Next McGonagall brought out a crate of weapons. Sasha chose a war axe with a manic smile on his face and Echo had selected a dagger similar to the ones they had practiced with.

"You should invest in your own but can practice with these." McGonagall told them as she began instructing Sasha on the use of his axe.

Harry looked through the crate and gently tugged out a staff with a long thin blade on the end. She had no desire to use a sword after second year and the handle was ornate and smooth to the touch and the blade seamlessly melted into the end. It was as tall as she was and was unexpectedly light.

"A swordstaff?" McGonagall asked her when it was her turn to be taught how to use the weapon. Sasha and Echo were watching her, which made her a little nervous. "They're handy enough." McGonagall said. Harroet was shown how to hold it properly, not unlike a broom, really., though, of course she wasn't sitting on it.

"Now," McGonagall picked up her own short swords from off her desk. "Lesson one, you stick them with the pointy end."

Minerva McGonagall was a very dangerous armed opponent, not only did she teach them all to become efficient with their chosen weapons; Echo dominated the class by far with her daggers, but also hand-to-hand muggle fighting, at which Sasha excelled and regular dueling which Harry was by far the best.

Professor Sinstra didn't have much to offer in her classes, She was very focused on trying to predict how the enemy would think, which Harry thought was a waste of time, and how to set up protective runes to hide locations, which wouldn't be handy on a battlefield, but Echo did well in her class.

Anastasia continued teaching Dark Arts and Defense, Harry became very efficient with the killing curse, along with a strict warning to only fire it if you know with all your heart and soul that it will hit its intended target.

As much as she was enjoying the private lessons she missed Ron and Hermione, whom she was not allowed to write to or visit, and she greatly missed Draco, though she was still very upset he never said goodbye. She was also frightened, because she had private lessons with Dumbeldore now too, ones which Sasha and Echo were not allowed to join in, ones about what exactly breaking a person was.

The Elderly man sat at his desk with his fingers steepeled, their first lesson together, he leaned forward and offered her tea, which she declined somewhat stonily.

"Harriet I have let you go into situations that you were not fully informed of before but I will not this time, you cannot let yourself be captured, is that understood?" He said firmly. She nodded, though he was making her feel uneasy. She wanted to say something scathing, like being captured wasn't exactly on her daily plan but she held her tongue.

"Trust your teachers," Dumbeldore continued. "I have selected them myself to prepare you for what is to come. Have you ever heard of Breaking a person before?" He asked and she shook her head. "Merlin first wrote about torturing a person to utter obedience, that if you provide constant pain you will teach a person no matter their strength to be utterly devoted to you. It is a warped type of love that results. They will cage you, strip you naked, hang you up by your ankles, they won't feed you or let you have water. Harry it is not something to be taken lightly, and if they succeed we will have lost everything."

Harry felt as though she would be ill, "But Sir, they won't do that to me, they can't succeed, I'd never be loyal to Voldemort." She argued. No amount of pain would generte any kind of love from her for that monster, no matter how twisted that love might be.

"Harriet You must understand the question isn't will their plan work, it is how fast will it work." He said, Harry's hands were shaking ever so slightly.

"Is there a way to stop it?" She asked him, a touch of desperation in her tone.

"No." He said, "Nor is there a cure, if you will. Do you remember me telling you there were worse things then death? This is one of them, it seems that through his ignorance Tom has found a way to utterly terrify me, dear girl you must remain vigilant, if they catch you, you must not let them take you, make them kill you first am I understood?"

Harry gulped and nodded, he smiled, the twinkle in his eyes were back and it made her feel, if possible, even more sick.

"You're dismissed, go, be with your friends."

Harry couldn't leave the room fast enough, she went to the nearest bathroom and vomited into the toilet bowl before she could do anything else. She then washed her mouth and sat on the floor, frightened.


End file.
